The Painted Life

Heading Out West

2012-10-09T09:59:00.000-05:00

Okay, not really West-just to Wordpress. I haven't posted here forever because I have been so busy readying my new house! If you should find yourself here-please head over to www.sherriohler.wordpress.com and make your self comfy in the new place.

It's bigger, better and tidier than ever. I'll go make some yummy pastries and put on a pot of coffee for you...
See you there!
xo,
Sherri

Hearing From God in the Creative Process

2012-07-17T12:57:00.004-05:00

It's so amazing to me how I forget to listen for the whispers of God from day to day. Knowing that He has spoken and the blessing of obedience in listening, is the purest pleasure we as humans can encounter. Yet-I still run about my busy days, weeks and even months without so much as taking a breath's moment to hear Him. I'm so thankful for His grace in not letting me ignore His tugs at my heart. I love it that we serve a God who is relentless in His loving pursuit of us.

The last time I listened. I know at least 3 people that God blessed...I was one of them. There is something about the creative process that helps me to slow down, pray and pay attention to the Creator as I go. Whether it's a painting, a recipe, a logo or a room vignette, when I put love for others in the details, God shows up and guides me along. I ADORE that.


Earl Grey Cake with Raspberry Jam Filling & Lavender Vanilla Frosting...baked in a jar for perfect shipping to a far away friend.


Let's spruce up the jars a bit...


A bow makes everything better.


I got this adorable cooler/lunch bag at Target for $10, it'll make the perfect cooling/shipping solution for my cake jar birthday gifts.


Hand glittering a card made from some of my new artwork. It's the little details in the creative process that make me love being an artist!

One more bow for good measure. I am such a girly-girl. Lol I also added one of my Style Tiles to the gift for good measure :)

The result of this creative process was astounding to me. In the midst of dreaming up a lovely flavor for my cakes and picking out shiny ribbons & glittery embellishments, I felt the slightest push to take the gift a step further. "If I can't be there to eat cake with Jo, maybe I can find someone who will." I heard myself think. Then I told myself that was crazy talk and moved on. The thought haunted me for a week until I finally googled and picked up the phone to call a church local to my far away friend. After agreeing that I was crazy, the kind woman on the other end of the line said she's make some phone calls and see if anyone was game for my ridiculous birthday plan to have a stranger celebrate my friend's birthday with her.

Two days later, I got a call back that a missionary was back in town and said she would LOVE to meet a new friend.

One day later, I just happened to call Jo the very second she brought in her box from fedex with the jar cakes inside, so I got to be there for the gift opening after all. What are the odds that I would call that exact second? She went on to say that she and her new missionary friend spent an hour on the phone and wept together when they discovered that one travels the world to help orphans and children with Downs Syndrome, while the other Blogs about orphans and children with Downs Syndrome from a wheelchair in her apartment. She then told me that they made plans to get together that very afternoon. (To dream about how the Lord would combine their efforts no doubt!) My heart over floweth. The three of us got a glimpse of God working in our lives that day. There truly is no greater blessing.

Tell me how he is speaking to you today? If there is someone or something on your heart, listen to yourself, it may very well be the Lord asking for your help in His kingdom today.

xo,
Sherri
Rev 3:22 (NIV) "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says..."

To make my Earl Grey Jar Cakes...

Earl Grey Tea has a wonderful floral taste that compliments white cake in the most beautiful way...

Choose your favorite White Cake Recipe. Mine is here.
Tear open 1-3 Earl Grey teabags according to your taste, or choose loose leaf tea. Crush with pestle and mortar (or grind in spice grinder) to a fine powder.

When batter is ready and oven is preheated according to your recipe, start layering batter then Earl Grey powder in jars until one third full, ending with batter. Bake until toothpick comes out clean when poked in the center. When baked, the black tea powder forms lovely swirls that show through the jars. :)

Let jar cakes cool. Add drops of Lavender extract to taste and drops of Violet food coloring to your favorite Buttercream recipe. Mine is here.

Using a small spoon, scoop out a spoonful from the center of your cakes and fill with a little dollop of Raspberry Jam. Cut off bottom of your little chunk of cake and use the top of the chunk to 'cap' your jam filling and create a smooth base for your frosting.

Using a piping bag or two spoons, frost jar cake with Lavender Buttercream and embellish with sprinkles. Top with lids and freeze overnight for shipping.

Pack in a cute cooler with ice packs. Viola! (You also you totally have my permission to eat them yourself.)

Cake & Birthdays

2012-07-02T12:51:00.002-05:00

I have two friends who are having birthdays. We all have friends who are having birthdays. These women are in very different places in their lives. One is thriving. Wonderful marriage and kids, huge extended family that love her, and many, many women friends who look to her for support, laughter, coffee & comfort, I am one of them. Her name is Lisa. I see her smiling.


Strawberry Basil Birthday Cake

The other I have never actually met in person. Her life inspires me through this very computer. She is a dear. Her days are very different from my first friend. Her's are filled with physical suffering & loneliness. She spends them connecting with the outside world through prayer & blogging. She's an advocate for the orphan and a cheerleader to many, I am one of them. Her name is Jo, I see her smiling too. You can read about her and send her a verbal hug right here.

This is the cake I made for our little celebration last Friday with my first amie. I Googled 'The best white cake ever' to find a base recipe. Here it is. They were right. It is the best ever and I've tried many. But white cake is just that...white. That just won't do. Enter Basil, fresh from our very own garden that is lovingly cultivated by my 10 year old. You should've seen her face light up when I told her that her garden basil was the star of my friend's birthday cake! I made one and a half times the recipe so that I could have three 9" layers instead of two. If you want a wow cake, you must too. The taller the better.

Basil Simple Syrup

Basil Simple Syrup
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c water
4-5 large, fresh basil leaves cut into a chiffanade (roll basil leaves lengthwise and cut into 1/8" strips)

Heat & stir over medium heat until all sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Cut each of the three cake layers in half horizontally so you have a total of six layers. Place the first cooled layer on serving plate and poke all over with sharp tipped knife, brush with syrup letting it soak in and make it's flavor magic.

Basil cake layers are complimented with Darfur Strawberry Preserves & Vodka Greek Yogurt Frosting

After brushing with basil syrup, spread with melted jam. I chose Darfur Strawberry Preserves. I like just enough to cover but not enough to ooze. You want enough to compliment without distracting..it's a delicate balance that is worth take your sweet time to find.

Top the first with the next layer and follow suit, stacking, poking, brushing & spreading each layer all the way to the top-leaving the final layer brushed with syrup but naked without jam.

My layers were not perfect. One of my the middle ones even lost a huge chunk of it's edge in the pan. Don't fret dearies-eat the broken pieces as a treat to the chef (that's you) and know that all the strawberry jam glue and yummy frosting to come will hide any flaws and make it all come together in summer cake perfection.

The frosting. The frooooooosssttttiiiiinnng. Isn't this the very reason why we crave cake in the first place? Cake is just a vessel to get the frosting to our awaiting lips right? I never follow a recipe for basic American buttercream frosting. I just add a touch here a taste there until it all comes together but I will give you basics as well as the creative secrets that I used to elevate the ordinary and make the eaters ooh & ahh and go back for more this time around.

My Favorite Buttercream
I started by creaming a 1/2 lb of cold butter until soft. I went all out with the fancy European kind by Plugra, but regular butter is just fine too. I then ended up using about 2/3 of a 1lb bag of powdered sugar and a couple of tbls of heavy cream. This whipped up in my Kitchenaid until it resembled frosting. That's how I always start. And then I get creative. For this I infused 1/4 c vodka with fresh chopped basil by simmering and reducing a bit. After letting it cool I strained it right into my frosting. Yum. But not yummy enough. It was tad too sweet and one note. A 1/4 c. dollop of Greek Yogurt did the trick. It all came together in the creamy, slightly tangy, lusciously sweet frosting that I had hoped for. The crown to my queen of a basil cake. I loved it. For a last little detail I covered the sides of the cake with unsweetened coconut flakes. Not the sticky yucky kind but the little organic shavings that taste like the real thing. I left the top uncoconutted for Lisa's hubby who is anti-coconut. I don't get it but I am willing to accommodate.

A friend at the birthday gathering who didn't say much while eating her piece, told me two days later that it was the best cake she had ever tasted and that she kept trying to remember a better one but came up with none. I will take that as my greatest cake compliment ever. Thank you Jill :)

Now for my far away friend with the approaching birthday. I must bake and send something, I just must. I am looking for something lovely & luscious & shippable. Something that will make her feel like she has a room full of love and an inpromptu birthday party in her honor. I will let you know what I come up with. And happy birthday to you when day comes around. May you feel adored and eat lots of cake.
xo,
Sherri

Please share which friend you long to make a birthday cake for or who you'd love to eat one with. It's these simple little pleasure that make the world go round and I'd love to hear about yours!

Let's Celebrate! A Double Party Giveaway!

2012-06-18T13:34:00.000-05:00

And the winners are........Lisa S. for the Princess Inc. Makeover Party!
Angela G. for the custom Alphabet Tile Banner!

Congrats to our winners and thanks to all who played along!

If you have an event coming up or know someone who does, you do NOT want to miss this!

LIKE Princess Inc. for exclusive deals and giveaways!

Rockstar Birthday Makeover & Dress-up

First, Princess Inc. is giving away the Party Package of your choice up to $300! Whether you are getting married, standing up in a wedding, throwing a little girls birthday party or seeing your teen off to Homecoming, Princess Inc. is the answer to making your event absolutely magical! We are even working on a Feeling Frumpy Girls Night Out Party for mom's that need a break and some sprucing up to remember just how beautiful they really are! Enter below then visit www.princessinc.me for party package options. There is more than one way to enter, the more you do-the more chances you have of winning! If you do not live in Chicagoland-there are ways for you to win too, just keep reading!

Elegant Wedding Makeover Beautiful Teen Dance Makeover

The goal here is to support my daughter October in her new business venture and to bless her & YOU all at the same time while getting the word out! Even if you live too far away to win the party package-we could use your help in spreading the word about Princess Inc.! Your prize? The chance to win a custom Alphabet banner of your choice just like the one pictured here decorating this grad party beverage tent! Spell anything you like up to 10 Tiles and even pick your ribbon color-I will do the rest. Visit www.sdgartistry.com to see how to make it even more special by choosing a Fine Art or Quote Tile to go with it!

Custom Word Letter Tile Banner by me-Sherri Ohler! What would you spell?

Teen Dance Makeovers

In order to be eligible for either prize, you MUST leave a blog comment telling us whether you are playing for the party package AND the custom Word Banner OR just the Word Banner. If you are playing for the Party Prize, you must live in Chicagoland or be willing to pay travel expenses for October (the Stylist) and 1 assistant to attend your event, OR you can 'gift' your prize to someone who does live in Chicagoland or is willing to pay travel expenses. Party Package Prize must be redeemed before January 1st 2013. Thanks so much for playing along and God bless you!
xo,
Sherri

a Rafflecopter giveaway
For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." ~Audrey Hepburn

Time To Change-Brady Bunch Wisdom

2012-06-12T13:24:00.001-05:00

Remember the episode? Peter's voice started changing right after the Brady kids got a recording deal and at first they thought it was the end of their perfect world, but decided to go with the flow and use Peter's quirky voice to their advantage. Smart kids. The result was a song that has popped into my head, and the heads of other generation Xers I'm sure, at least once every couple of months for the last 20 years or so! I'd say going with the flow is the only way to go!

Enjoy the video, see some fun CHANGE style announcements that are coming to S.D.G., (Aw yeah!), read the BEST bible verse about change EVER, then leave a comment with your favorite Brady memory, a change you are running from or embracing, or anything else you like to chat about!

1. S.D.G. Artistry is dropping the S.D.G. name(Gasp!)in an effort to re-brand in a way that will allow me to pursue all of my passions under ONE recognizable brand. Licensing, Blogging, Cooking, Creating of EVERY kind! I am taking the genius advice of Stephanie & Holley from Squee Inc. ,who responded to my hesitation to change from S.D.G. to 'SHERRI OHLER', by telling me that "A brand is just a promise that you will be the same wherever people find you." I LOVE that so much. I get the privilege of working with the Squee Inc. girls starting next week as they help me figure out this whole re-branding/pursuing my dreams thing! Can't wait!

2. I am moving from Blogger to Wordpress sometime in the near future. Yikes! I hear it is quite the task. I have entered a blog design giveaway at Sour Apple Studios in hopes that I will win and have some professional help :) You too can enter right HERE!

3. I have divided my efforts for the time being to help my lovely daughter October pursue her dream of making people feel beautiful with a company we've named Princess Inc. (the website, www.princessinc.me will be up and running soon, in the meantime, check out our facebook page right HERE! There are tons of photos, pricing, packages and more!) She has wanted to be a Stylist since she was about 5 or 6 and has never talked about anything else. After seeing my sister who has been a Stylist for 20 years work long hard hours and complain of back and elbow issues, I unsuccessfully tried to steer October in all sorts of other directions. She did not give up-HAIR & MAKEUP is her dream and pursue it she has! She has been trained as a cosmetologist and Redkin color expert, but even more than that, has been asked to 'style' girls of all ages for WEDDINGS, DANCES & PARTIES since her early teens, she's that good. The opportunity to work with her a bit to see her dream take shape is more than any mother could hope for. Please show us your support by 'liking' the page right HERE. And if you are in Chicagoland and are getting married, throwing a little girls party, going to a dance or know anyone who is, you will want to stay tuned for a Princess Inc. giveaway coming soon!

Thanks for being a friend to me, S.D.G. and whatever we change to be!
xo,
Sherri
“But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."
Isaiah 43:18-19 (NLT)

Do Not Let the Sun Go Down on Your Anger...Seriously?

2012-06-06T07:07:00.002-05:00

Ephesians 4:26 is easier said than done. Totally.

I took this photo on a sunset walk with Randy a few weeks ago. An angry storm was brewing in the sky that night! A bit prophetic maybe? Lol

To say my husband is a private person would be the understatement of the year. I usually do not go where I am about to go today for that reason. But something tells me that we are not the only one's who struggle with this scripture when it comes to conflict resolution.

My pastor's wife and friend once told me that her husband would force her to talk through their conflict until the wee hours of the morning if that's what it took to make them one again. Against her stubborn wishes and the sleep that was knocking on their eyelids and fogging their ability to communicate rationally, he would keep her talking until it was settled, whatever 'it' was.

Well, that's great for them, but what about the rest of us? The us's that have two with Choleric personalities who stubbornly want to 'sleep on it'. Maybe even for a few days. What about those of us who would rather attempt to keep the sun from going down by our mere will, than give in and get over it? Is there hope for our marriages? Are we doomed if we go to bed angry?

Sometimes it sure feels like it. Like we are so far apart in the way we see our last conflict that it seems like a months worth of going to bed silent & angry won't be long enough to get over it! That is the dark pit that I find myself in right now.

I know what God's word says and therefore know that I am called to submit, forgive, apologize and love before I see the sun set even one more night. I am already two days past due. I KNOW. But my heart is just not in it. My heart is still angry, and hurt and after the fit I threw-I would imagine his is too. Maybe even more so.

So what, other than faking my way through an apology in the name of doing what is 'right', is the answer? I believe I found some insight right here in Philippians 4:8-9: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable —if anything is excellent or praiseworthy —think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me —put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

I am not much of a grudge holder. When someone says they are sorry-I am usually over it and all in again that very instant. But until then, I can spend every waking minute rehashing all the ways I was wronged. Mulling over every hurt and feeling it all over again & again until the anger reaches it's apex anew. Yep. That is why dusk captures my sinful heart instead of a forgiving one, and that's precisely why my head hits the pillow with a loud, stubborn thud every night.

BELLA LUNA~My melancholy moon painting is one of my favorites but he gets mixed reviews! People either LOVE him like I do, or they hate him and think he's a bit creepy. Haha-those must be the people that never let the sun go down on their anger. Lol

So today I will let Philippians 4:8-9 permeate my thoughts and sink into my heart. I will list them one by one and let the Holy Spirit soften me toward my husband who deserves nothing less. Join me?

TRUE: My husband never means to hurt me. Ever. I know that is true and I choose right now to believe it.

NOBLE: Marriage is a reflection of Christ's love for us. There is no greater human bond.

RIGHT: It is just and right to forgive. It is the one & only way to heal and bring 'rightness' back into the world.

PURE: Our vows are stronger and more pure than any one conflict or combination of conflicts.

LOVELY: I adore my husband when he generously brings out the best in me, and I STILL LOVE my husband even when he fails to see how his attitude has the power to bring out the worst in me.

ADMIRABLE: My husband is hardworking and self-sacrificing every, single day. That makes him not only admirable, but totally loveable.

EXCELLENT: (Possessing outstanding quality or superior merit; remarkably good.) My husband is remarkably good at making me laugh, providing for our family, rising early to seek the Lord on our behalf, making fajitas, picking out shoes for me, planning surprises and supporting me and all of my dreams. I would say that all these and more make him a man of superior merit. Wouldn't you agree?

PRAISEWORTHY: I thank the Lord for choosing Randy as my husband. In spite of our differences, God has used him to answer so many prayers in my life and that, my friends, is worthy of my praise!

Now, am I over it? Not quite. But with tears in my eyes as I typed my list, I can feel the slightest tug of change happening in my attitude. I will keep praying. Keep thinking on what is right & true...I will choose to invite the Lord's presence back into my marriage by mediating on this glorious verse with it's amazing promise of God's peace. I will choose. Will you?
xo,
Sherri

No this is NOT us-haha. This photo courtesy of royalty-free photos dot com. But I thought it was a perfect way to end this post. They are together as the sun goes down and all is peaceful. Just lovely.

If you find yourself thinking, "Well, my husband is none of those things, or my husband does nothing that is praiseworthy." You are fooling yourself. He does. And maybe you have to push aside all the yuck of disappointment and heartache to find it, but it's there. Start with the reason's you married him and go from there. If there is only one lovely characteristic, focus on that and choose to ignore the undesirable and God's peace will once again fall upon your marriage. HE promises.

Leave a comment about your marriage, your tips, your conflict style or whatever you think may help a girl out Lol. We learn from each other and your wisdom, as well as your struggles are at home here. Go ahead, be anonymous if you like ;)

So This is What Paris Tastes Like~ A Macaron Tutorial

2012-05-29T14:30:00.001-05:00

My first encounter with a Parisian Macaron- (yes there is only one 'O' in the French kind!) was in Las Vegas about 2 summers ago. Every morning on the way to my booth at the Las Vegas Gift Show, I would pass by the beautifully colored rows of ~~cookies~~-~~confections~~-delectable little morsels from heaven, and every morning I would give into temptation and eat a few for breakfast with my decaf Americano. Little did I know that finding another of the same deliciousness would be nearly impossible. And so begins the quest to re-find the perfect Vegas Style French Macaron...


Raspberry Almond, Honey Lemon Drop & Coconut Dark Chocolate Parisian Macarons~Photo Courtesy of Clare Colwin

To be honest, I haven't had much luck. We have some pretty amazing bakeries in Geneva where I live, some melt-in-your-mouth-crave-their-goodies-fortnightly kind of bakeries. But in my opinion, they are all missing the mark on the Macaron. At least the one's that I've tried.

Honey Lemon Drop Macarons-My personal favorite by far!

The Vegas Macaron had this crispy/chewy kind of magic thing going on with a sweet but not overly sugary candy type flavor. It was like my taste buds could actually hear my teeth break through the perfect Macaron crust only to be pleasantly surprised by something between the texture of fresh pulled TAFFY & BUTTER on the inside. Like an adult ride on a Tilt-a-Whirl, the taste made me feel like a kid again. And not just any kid, but like one who grew up playing tag on the rues of Paris. Talk about addictive-who wouldn't want to revisit that culinary revery again & again. If the Macarons you've tried don't taste like this-keep searching. You too may find that one perfect bite of a lifetime that makes you forget all others...

********************************************************

And so, I decided to bake some. I'd been wanting to try for two years now but it wasn't until my young friend Taylor asked me to bake them for her grad party that I got the gumption to actually try it. It was an interesting journey to say the least! I started with the Martha Stewart recipe and after two failed attempts, moved on. Her ingredient list was typical, but her methods made no sense unless you've made them before. (Sorry Martha! After years of being my go to gal, you've been replaced!) And so I landed here at Jenainthekitchen's blog. Jena is a genius. Her photos are perfect, she shows her mistakes, and she speaks in plain English. Her recipe made all the difference and I see no reason to change it much. I will tell you exactly what I did to flavor my Macarons after using Jena's base and give you tips on how NOT to fail as I did the first two times...

Raspberry Almond Macarons

TO FLAVOR (per each recipe!)

I used ALMOND FLOUR instead of the hazelnut that Jena calls for. I believe almond is the more traditional Macaron nut but I am sure hazelnut is delicious too! (Did you know these glorious little treats are Gluten Free?)

I added 1/2 tsp of Pure Almond extract and about 1/8tsp. of red gel paste food coloring for my Almond Raspberry. I had intended on adding fresh raspberry puree but wasted it on the first two failed attempts! Lol.

For the Honey Lemon Drop I added the zest of two lemons and 1 drop of buttercup yellow gel paste food coloring.

For the Coconut Dark Chocolate I added 1/2 tsp coconut extract and about 3/4 cup organic, unsweetened shredded coconut. PLEASE NOTE: The addition of the coconut caused the egg whites to FALL and the cookies to bake much more like an American Macaroon than a French Macaron. They did not rise like they do in Paris, but although flatter, the shape was pretty much the same and the flavor delicious! I would make these again even if they don't exactly qualify as French!

I topped the Raspberry with white nonpareils, the lemon with lemon zest, and the coconut with-well-coconut! (Before baking!)

THE FILLING

I have searched for 'traditional or authentic' Macaron filling but have found that the fillings are all across the board and there is no 'right' way to fill a French Macaron. I used Swiss Buttercream per Martha S. because I hadn't yet figured out that I shouldn't listen to her when it comes to the Macaron. Lol. Although yummy, I do not believe it is the best answer for filling these babies. Mine squished & oozed when bitten. Not always a bad thing-just not what I was going for. Next time I will use French Buttercream. Seems obvious but I didn't even know it existed until this morning! Here's how I filled the one's pictured here...


Honey Lemon Drop Buttercream Filling

Raspberry Almond-I added about 2 Tbs. Raspberry Jam to a half recipe of Swiss Buttercream, then I spread about 1/2 tsp. of the jam on the cookie and topped each with a piped dollop of the flavored buttercream. Easy peasy.

Honey Lemon Drop-I added the zest of one lemon and about 2 Tbs. Orange Blossom Honey to a half recipe of buttercream-then piped a dollop onto the cookie. YUM.

Coconut Dark Chocolate-I heated 1/2c. Heavy Cream to a boil, then added half a bag of Ghiradelli chocolate chips and a pat of butter to make chocolate ganache. Let it cool slightly, then spread onto cookie with a spoon before sandwiching together. Viola!

NO FAIL TIPS

The coarser the nut flour, the less smooth the cookies. It is NOT a must to have smooth cookies, they taste the same either way, it's just a personal preference of how you want them to look. My food processor just happens to be broken, so- I blended my flour and powdered sugar in a bowl with a stick blender to make it a bit smoother-it worked just fine.

Weigh your ingredients. The first two attempt were measured. FAIL. The last three were weighed. SUCCESS. Coincidence? I am not willing to find out Lol.

When piping, I did not use a tip. I used a 16" pastry bag and just piped straight out of the end of the bag. It was super easy and they turned out perfect. It helps to watch a video on technique first. (Don't listen to Martha-she's crazy!) You will get it in ten seconds after watching someone else do it-promise! If you get a little undesirable peak on the top while piping, just wet your fingertip and tap it down a bit and they will bake smooth.

Piping the Honey Lemon Drop filling

Let your cookies REST! Again, listen to JENA. She recommends letting the piped cookies rest on the baking sheet for 40 minutes. That is how they get their perfectly crispy crust and form their fabulous little french 'feet' on the bottom-a characteristic must of the Macaron! DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!

After 4 minutes, crack the oven door to finish baking-just like Jena says. My first two attempts failed in part because the cookies browned before forming their feet on the bottom. I believe baking with the oven door cracked, solved that issue.

Jena recommends baking for about 16 minutes total. I was afraid that I wouldn't have that nice flat surface on the bottom and left some of mine in for up to 20 minutes to be sure and nothing bad happened! Lol. Better safe than sorry in my book. If you are unsure if yours are baked flat on the bottom, just try peeling back a corner of the parchment from one of the cookies, if it sticks and falls apart-leave it in until you can peel back to reveal the flat surface. Keep in mind, it is easier to peel when cooled, but you should at least be able to peel back a tiny bit to see if they are done.

Finally-if yours are not perfect in your eyes-eat them anyway! They all taste wonderful even if not traditional. take my Coconut Dark Chocolate ones for instance...I almost threw them away but the thing that made them flawed, is what also made them delicious! If I can do it, you can do it! Oui, oui!

I would love to hear if this tutorial was helpful or if you have any more tips you'd like to add or if you have found the perfect Macaron while out & about! Take a minute to leave a comment!
xo,
Sherri

Taylor & Raegan's Grad party Macarons. Presentation is everything!

So was I able to re-create the carnival ride paradise like in Vegas? Not quite. But mine came closer than any other I've tried and that is a huge, culinary success in my book. I'll take it. And I will keep going back to the drawing board and posting my successes and failures right here. Thanks for tagging along.

Go Ahead, Make My Week

2012-05-22T09:09:00.004-05:00


I don't believe that I've ever seen Magenta colored Peonies? Perfect for my favorite Anthro Hummingbird Vase.

Who knew a bouquet of freshly cut Peonies from a thoughtful neighbor could mean so much?

The lovely plumes perched proudly in my favorite place in my most adored room of my house for almost a week without falter.

Every morning I would wake to their bright & happy demeanor, every evening I said 'goodnight' by breathing in their glorious smell just one more time. Both times I would think of my neighbors and wonder at what lovely people they must be, making a mental note to get to know them better. I must do that.

The gift from my new friends' garden made my day, everyday, for almost a week. Even more than that, it inspired me to want to make someone else's day. Pay it forward so to speak.

Sometimes all it takes is the smallest gesture. Sometimes, somebody else's little gesture is all we need to get through a rough or lonely spot. Go ahead, make someone's day. You'll be glad you did.
xo,
Sherri

^{Mark 12:30-31}
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these.”

Who will you bless today? How will you bless them?

Little Old Ladies with Rhubarb:A Garage Sale Tale

2012-05-15T11:23:00.001-05:00

There were over 100 garage sales in my neighborhood last weekend, I found my happy place and spent a mere $37 on new treasures by the time I got to #'s 3 & 4.

Table~$10, Greeting Card Display~$5

There's more to this tiered table than meets the eye...at the bargain price of only ten bucks, I managed to score a dessert display that will serve as a brightly colored focal point when propped atop another table at a grad party for two beautiful young girls in a couple of weeks. It will be gorgeous and add just the right amount of vintage fun!

In the background is an iron greeting card display that is now serving as my inspiration to finish my line of cards that I've been dreaming and talking about forever! Five bucks is a small price to pay for motivation ;)


From left to right: Garden Fresh Rhubarb~$FREE!, Vintage Cake Tin~$.50, Tart/Muffin Top Tin~$.25. Glass Cake Stand~$1

I found these treasures, while on my morning walk, at the sale that the neighborhood church was having as their version of a 'garage' sale. Since I was supposed to be exercising, not shopping, I was cashless. The sweetest old ladies boxed up my booty and set it aside with a post it note that I'd be back. When I returned hours later I spotted a new addition to their sale...RHUBARB. A woman explained that it came from Gladys' garden that very morning. I was torn! I only had $2 to pay for my original finds but longed for the pink & green veggie like the bumble bees long for summer after their winter slumber.

A wee bit savory, a lot tart, and oh so yummy when baked with sugar, cornstarch, butter and a just a touch of nutmeg.

The grey haired angel must've seen my internal struggle evidenced by the look on my face, because the next thing I know she was telling me to take some rhubarb home. I was like a kid in a candy store. I felt my whole face light up and wanted to hug her like a long lost grandma at the thought of it.
"I couldn't." I stammered.
"Go ahead." She insisted.
So I did. And that rhubarb sang as Individual Tarts with Strawberry Orange Blossom Cream for our Mother's Day Brunch. (I got to use my new twenty five cent tart pan too!) I even made one with a gluten free Hazelnut crust for my mom. She said she was in heaven as the sweet-tart fruit took her back to her childhood at every bite. (I meant to take pictures and write the recipe down as it all came together, but I get in a zone when I cook or bake and I almost always forget! Ugh!) If you would like the recipe, I think I can write it from memory and if I get enough requests, I will post it!

The cake tin housed my homemade Lemon Meringue Pie for the same brunch but I have yet to use my new cake stand. Maybe it will serve as the crown jewel on top of the blue table at the grad party?

I also scored a lovely, gold framed mirror. At a vast 5 1/2 x 2 1/2 feet , it is just the thing I've been looking for to add drama and light in my master bedroom. A steal at $20.

If it's been awhile since you've ventured out into yard sale land, remember, it's not all onesies and baby toys. There are treasures to be had around every corner. Tell me of your latest find with a comment, you know you want to! Lol.
xo,

P.S. Dear Karen, my walking and now garage sale buddy, I know you wanted the cake tin too and I can't help but feel a little guilty that I snagged it without asking you! You can borrow it anytime and I will be sure to fill it with something yummy and let it spend the weekend at your house someday soon. I will also keep my eyes open for another and if I find one I will be sure to grab it for you!

On Moms, Mothering and Being the Wicked Stepmother

2012-05-11T12:00:00.000-05:00

As Mother's Day approaches, I thought I would go back and re-read what I wrote last year at this time. I had to smile. Some things are exactly the same, others so beautifully different. My eldest, now 21, calls me just to say she loves me always at the exact moment that I need to hear it. Love that the Lord is using my October to encourage and bless me in ways I never dreamed possible. What a difference a year makes. Read my word's from last year for yourself and see the miracle of prayer and God's faithfulness as we travel this road called Motherhood...

May 7, 2011
I spent the morning with about 40 women at a friend's wedding shower. Some of us mom's, all of us daughters. The bride had lost her mom a long time ago, her sister and shower hostess is one of my closest friends. As I observed the happy faces in the fun atmosphere of celebration, I couldn't help but wonder if it was enough. Was there enough love in that room to ease the pain of those that don't get to celebrate with their mom tomorrow? I hope so. I'm glad I got to be a little part of that love. And what of a bride who's mother is absent on her most anticipated day? Who can ease her heart?

As I ponder these things I think on my own daughters. My eldest is 2o. She's beautiful & warm & funny. At 20, I thought my mom was controlling and out of touch. At 40 I know my mom is kind, loving, creative, compassionate and a lover & keeper of PEACE.
At 20-my daughter is me and it makes my heart hurt for me and for my mom. Can't wait for the day that my first sees a bit more in me and embraces all the love I have for her in spite of my mommy screw-ups.

My middle daughter is 14. She's creative & gorgeous & deep thinking. At 14, my mom was still my hero-I even got my hair cut like hers! My daughter at 14 would rather shave her head than hear that she looks anything like me. And as far as friendship? I adore each second with her and long for the day that she calls me 'friend' again. For now, I have to put on my big girl pants and LOVE her sternly to save her life even when it's hate that stares back at me.

My youngest is 9. She's silly & playful & looks like a fairy. She is my step-daughter and serves as a reflection proving that I am still in need of a Savior each and every day. Somehow this innocent little 9 yr old beauty is able to bring out all the ugly in me by just sitting there doing nothing more than being 9 yrs old. I guess that when I dreamed of getting married, I never thought I might have to compete for my hubby's love & affection. In fact, I thought marriage was the end of competing with other girls. Enter WICKED. I'm not reaching for any poison apples or anything crazy, however, I do find myself sympathizing with Cinderella's step-mom and have to snap out of it. "What's wrong with me-I'm Christian!" I slap myself back into reality and buy her some Wonka candy to contradict the black in my heart. If I could sew, I'd make her the most beautiful dress to align myself with the fairy godmother instead of the ugliest of step mothers. I can't sew...so I pray and buy candy instead.

My ALWAYS painting was inspired by the sometimes rocky, always glorious road of mothering.

Who knew 'momming' would be so difficult? So painful sometimes. Who knew 'daughtering' could also be so difficult? Love is always a little messy I guess. But it's also SO worth it. I wouldn't give up being mom to my girls for anything in the world. I wouldn't trade my mom for all the moms in the world either.
xo,

Did this post encourage you? Make you laugh, cry or run to the phone to call your Mom? Lol. I would really love to hear about it. Take a sec to leave a comment. You can also join the discussion at my Facebook community. See you there :)

The Caterpillar's Quandary: A Life's Lesson

2012-05-07T11:45:00.000-05:00

Look closely. Life is not always as it seems.


What seemingly confines you today, might just be a means to grow your wings for tomorrow.

Cocoon. Chrysalis. Khrysos....Gold.

I was surprised to learn that the word we use to describe the morphing chamber of a caterpillar comes from the Greek word for GOLD.

...And then it made perfect sense. The root is in the refining process that makes them beautiful.

Earthen metal, once defiled and tainted with impurities, emerges as perfected brilliance only after an extended stay in a fiery furnace.

Weighted creatures, once cursed to crawl underfoot of the rest of creation, burst skyward and beautiful after the confining and seemingly claustrophobic conditions of their own making.

Ahhh and there it is. Whether we find ourselves in a heated struggle of someone else's doing, or the binding effects brought on by our own mistakes, the outcome can be beautiful. I imagine it's up to us.

Let this time have its way with us. Don't give up on life in the pain and the waiting. Let life give us up to something even greater.

Find our shine. Grow our wings. Dawn anew. E M E R G E with our new found attitude. One that not only says "I survived." But one that bellows "I PREVAILED and I like this new me even better." This me, this you-that sparkles anew and flies to heights that only yesterday were beyond our reach.
xo,
Sherri

FLUTTERBY my very first painting for The Alphabet Line collection.

Galatians 6:9

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Romans 5:2-4

And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

2 Thessalonians 1:4
Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

Defining A Dream

2012-04-20T11:46:00.000-05:00

Let's say you get a letter in the mail from somebody who says they have a billion dollars that they would like to invest in you, what would you tell them? What is your dream?

That is the question that I was asked yesterday by Squee Inc.'s Holley Gerth & Stephanie Bryant. My answer to that question could very well be a game changer. The one that leads to the victory in this game called life.

I can't stop thinking about it. I see how the Lord has been working in my heart, how He has lead me to seek to find my purpose and that I too have been asking myself forms of that very question. What am I here for? And not in general terms as in "I am here to point people to Christ for God's ultimate glory." That's the cop out answer that I give myself. But why am I here? As Sherri. Wife to Randy. Mom to October, Ivy and Step-mom to Cheney. Artist. Pastry maker. Sinner. Rebel. Jesus lover. Coffee enthusiast. Blogger/wanna be teacher. Beauty seeker & beauty maker. Amateur chef. Servant. Decorator. Creator & purveyor of small joys.

WHY.
AM.
I.
HERE?

How does it all fit into one picture? How does it all line up to leave a legacy? Here it is.

I want a home that I can open for retreats. Prayer saying, art creating, self learning, story telling, food discovering, beauty inspiring, Jesus finding retreats.

I would cook chic food with lavender & man food with meat. Homemade pastas & experimental chocolate desserts. You could help if you wanted to. The smell of homemade artisan breads mixed with the soft, rose-like fragrance of Ranunculus would greet you at my door. I would serve you and even wash your feet to remind you how loved & special you are. I'd teach from my mistakes & God's grace. Love & pour inspiration into the lives of so many who say "I wish I was creative like you." (YOU ARE-by the way. I can show you how to unearth the artist inside you. I promise.) I would tell Holy Spirit stories and know that you'd go home with one of your own.

My husband would have his workshop where he would teach men & women his art of furniture building, each guest that opted to would walk away with something they built with their own hands. Randy is also the best prayer warrior I know so the spiritual impact would be incredible I just know it.

Farmhouse Buffet by Urban Hillbilly Furniture

Since I'm dreaming here.... Ongoing income would be from thriving Art Licensing and Furniture sales, so that the retreats could be offered at affordable pricing. And since I will be spending my days creating new art to generate income and adding special touches to every detail for your arrival, I will need to hire a cleaning staff of course. (Lol)

I know this dream will evolve and be tweaked again and again, but this is my beginning. The first time that I am able to see a picture of what I want my life to be like as Randy and I grow older and our kids find their own wonderful lives. Maybe our children will even want to be a part of this. My heart is so content to think on that.
xo,
Sherri

What about you? Would you come If -when my dream comes to fruition will you come to a retreat? What would you do if you got a letter....Leave your dream in the form of a comment, it could very well be the beginning of seeing it come true!

**************************************
Thank you Holley & Stephanie. Maybe it was God's timing, or maybe you're geniuses. Maybe both. But I learned more about myself and my business in our one hour conversation yesterday that I have in the three years since I started S.D.G. I think you both & Squee Inc. Are AMAZING, and cannot wait to see what comes next.

The Best Advice I've Heard All Year

2012-04-17T11:28:00.001-05:00

Sometimes the ideas flow so fast that all I can do is run in circles trying to keep up with them. Months later I may have 20 good new projects started at the expense of not even one great project completed! So goes the life & mind of an artist! I'm so busy following my every creative whim that I'm missing the prize of going after one, focused goal.


'JUST BREATHE' available in 12", 6", 3.5", new Charms, and coming soon, Greeting Cards

A while back I had the blessing of a free business coach. She was awesome. In the opposition of my toddler tantrum- "But that's just not me!" She forced me to set a goal and held me accountable. The outcome was the first ever S.D.G. catalog. Not only did I love the catalog, but the feeling of accomplishment and maturity that I experienced as a result was priceless. I had been procrastinating for over 6 months and know I couldn't have completed it without her discipline.

2011 S.D.G. Artistry catalog cover featuring Ivy Lane

So why just a year or so later am I back to chasing every whim and obstinately overlooking the goal setting factor of running a successful business? I CAN'T ANSWER THAT. Lol. Sometimes I seriously think I could be a poster child for the slap on the forehead V8 commercials.

In a recent chat session with some new friends from the Blissdom Conference, one of the girls said...
"...We decided we can't chase every new thing." (Thank you Shannon Magsam for your inspiring genius moment!)

Whammo. That's it.

Maybe it's the accountability factor. If you are a non-goal setting, spontaneous whim chaser like myself, maybe we should start a support group. Right here, right now. You set a goal (or two!) and I will set a goal or two. Write yours in the comments here and I will ~~hound~~ er, encourage you to finish them! We can keep track and hold each other accountable via the S.D.G. Facebook community. Join me there to make this accountability thing easy peasy or you know we won't stick to it-haha.

***My Short Term Goal (To be done by the end of the month): Finish and order prints & packaging for my first ever Greeting Card Line. (I started it over two weeks ago and haven't looked at it since-ugh!)

***My Long Term Goal (To be done by the end of the summer): Develop new artwork that is separate from the Alphabet Line. (This is a biggie. I'm kinda stuck in my creative bubble on this one and I'd like to branch out with an entirely new series by the end of the summer. Yikes!)

Okay, who's with me? Leave your goal here in the comments so you can always come back to it and see what you've accomplished since then! Then let's talk about it and encourage each other at the S.D.G. community page- Head on over there now!
xo,

Psalm 20:4
May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.

Life is Stormy, Bloom Anyway...

2012-04-16T09:21:00.002-05:00

What stopped me in my tracks and made me stare in awe while on a walk with my hubby yesterday was the bright indigo blue on the inside. The three were standing tall all alone in a vast field of green. Not another magic tulip in sight for as far as my mesmerized eye could see.

I knew I was blessed to be in this place, at this time. A few days earlier they would've looked like the many other fuchsia colored tulips that I zoomed by taking for granted on my morning walks. Closed to the world, hiding their inside majesty from naive passersby like myself.

Adding to my wonderment was that these little beauties survived a treacherous storm the night before. It raged hour after dark & windy hour til the wee hours of the morning. That's like forever in tulip years since they only live a few weeks at best! I felt barely safe inside my brick and mortar home, yet my three little friends stood boldly after surviving their dark night of the soul mere hours before. Maybe it was this very storm with it's unforgiving winds and cold, knife-like downpour that encouraged their bloom. Their incredible, indigo secret bearing
B L O O M.
**************************************************************

And you? Are you in middle of trying to survive a stormy night that you never expected? Are you ready to give up and retreat back into yourself under the weight and fear of the whole thing? DON'T GIVE UP. You are being perfected. This storm will encourage your bloom and reveal a secret indigo inside that you didn't even realize was there. Just hang on and you will bloom beautiful. You will. And when you do, it's then time to show someone else your newly perfected inside. You may be the bloom that encourages the survival in the midst of their dark & stormy night. Join my facebook community here to find daily encouragement and inspiration to get through whatever it is you are facing!

xo,

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into many afflictions; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James 1:2-4

My Messy Studio

2012-04-13T10:00:00.001-05:00

Today, my studio is a big, fat, MESS. I will prove it.

At least I have my Decaf 5 Shot Americano :) My treat to myself in the midst of it all!

The good news is that the mess proves that I've been busy in said studio! This week I've ...

-Updated my S.D.G. Facebook Timeline which took FOREVER. (See it here and Join the S.D.G. conversation and community! I would love to have you!)

-Hand illustrated and digitally designed a company logo for a new friend

-Produced a huge DaySpring order that will ship later today.

-Showed you a Few of My Favorite Things.

--And most exciting-started working on a new line of Greeting Cards! Here's where you come in! Over at my S.D.G. Facebook community I will be taking tips, wants, suggestions & ideas from YOU about what you would like to see in an S.D.G. Greeting card collection. I have some unique surprises up my sleeve already-but want to hear about what is important to YOU. Do you want scripture on each card? Writing on the inside or blank on the inside? Occasion specific or general? And which SDG painting would you like most to see on a greeting card? You MUST be a part of this! Some day when I'm long gone but my paintings are still hopefully floating around this small world-you will be able to tell your grandkids that you helped design the first ever S.D.G. Greeting Card Line haha. ;) They start with Vintage Book elements and grow from there. Here's a small sampling...

Thanks for your help on this endeavor!
xo,

******************************************************************

Today I join Jennifer at Studio JRU for her 'In the Studio' Friday. Jennifer is amazing and has become a dear friend of mine over the last year or so! I'm BLESSED. She writes for (In)Courage.me and has an amazing way with colors, words, textures & crosses. After you're done here, hit the button to zoom on over to see what she and others are up to! Breathe it all in and be inspired to do something creative of your own this weekend. Every one of us has an inner artist, you just need to let yours out to play!

http://studiojru.com/2012/04/13/studio-sneak-peek-new-cross-print/

See what my artist friends are up to!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...A Link Up

2012-04-10T16:18:00.000-05:00

One day I hope to give a photo tour of the townhouse that I currently call HOME. I even hope to submit my studio to Where Women Create Magazine someday! (D R E A M) I'm just not quite ready yet Lol. For now I thought I would walk you through some of my favorite little treasures that make my house totally 'me'...enjoy!

My Italian book collection. I read these recipe and photo books like one would read great fiction-I devour from cover to cover again and again. This is just a small sampling. And they are more than just books-they serve as the art in my dining room.

I got this in my Blissdom Handmade Market swag bag. No doubt someone LOVELY made it.


My bestie from high school gave me this little gem a few years ago, I adore it so much that it hangs on my pantry door where I see it at least a couple of times a day! Get your own from 'she-shesart' here !

This has got to be one of my favorite furniture pieces EVER. It's a computer armoire that my hubby & I found on the side of the road, discarded like yesterdays junk mail. But I had vision. A little magic paint (it started out plain red oak color) and this mess-hiding gem has become the hub of our last 2 homes. LOVE it!

Okay-there is lot's to love in this little book nook. From the top, my little red Vespa that I scored at World Market sits atop my Tessa Kiros cookbook collection and parks next to the opus filled with all of my grandma Szabo's recipes. Under that are my Anthropologie mugs from my sister that I just love sipping decadent cream soups out of. And lastly, the Bon Appetite & Gourmet magazines that I just can't get enough of!

Look closely-Do you see that signature on my Fine Silver Tile there? It's Iron Chef Michael Symon's , I got it not too long after he won the Next Iron Chef! I bumped into him (that's code for chased him down like a crazed fan) at the Housewares Show in Chicago and shoved a sharpie in his face. Lol He was SO gracious. If you watch Iron Chef you already know that. He's everybody's favorite for a reason. This little wonder hangs just above my kitchen table.

I am the first to admit that I am not very organized. It's no secret and I am not ashamed. I just blame it on the creativity that takes up most of the space in my brain! However, I am so proud of this. It's how I store all of my Style Tile (see below) beads & charms. Over a hundred cute little chalkboard topped jars house everything from vintage brass Sparrow charms to Swarovski crystals in moonlit gray-my favorite.

Last but by no means least, my Style Tiles are one of my very favorite things. Yes it feels strange calling out one of my own creations as one of my favorites, but that's precisely why I love them! Because they are my ESCAPE. S.D.G. production is hard work. Really hard, and sometimes it gets dirty working with rusted metals & paints. But not when it comes to my Style Tiles...

...they are all GIRL. I get to sit for hours and design how all the little sparkly beads & charms are going to fit together to make each one special. No two are ever alike...much like the people who receive them. I often wonder about the recipient as I make them. I wonder if they will smile or cry and if the giver had some hidden message in the giving... Yes. Making them is magical. For that reason I am crazy about them.


All of my Fine Art and Quote Tiles are available in Style Tiles! Get them here. I am even offering FREE SHIPPING on all Style Tiles this month. Place an order via the website and I will refund your shipping. It's that simple!

Hope you enjoyed this photo glimpse into what I love-It's now your turn!
xo,

Welcome to the first ever Favorite Things Link up! Since its the first ever-there may not be a lot of links but that's okay-you can be the first. If you are a new blog reader, a 'Link Up' is a way to find new blogs and new friends all in one spot! FABULOUS! At the end of the post, see which friends left their link and have fun traveling through their favorite things!

Linkers-there is no limit to a subject here-link up posts about your favorite...kids, foods, places, decor, stories, blogs, quotes, etc., etc., etc.! Please take the time to visit at least 2 other blogs and don't forget to link back here with this button!

Why It's Good

2012-04-06T13:41:00.003-05:00

^{John 16:7}Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

It's always seemed odd to me that today is called 'Good' Friday. Watch The Passion of the Christ movie just once and you will undeniably feel the same.

Yet thinking past the suffering, even past the knowledge that the cross brought everlasting life in heaven, thinking about today, whatever your today is....
Overdue bills.
Job you hate.
Hospital bed.
Divorce.
Hunger.
Prodigal child.
Eating disorder.
Addiction.
Fill in the blanks________
________
________
...You have a helper because Jesus went away. Because Jesus went away-YOU CAN MAKE IT. Whatever your suffering, He has sent you help. All you have to do is ask. Amen.
Peace & joy,

To learn more about the baptism of the Holy Spirit click here . There are few more controversial subjects in the Christian faith. I have come to believe that once you experience the Holy Spirit filling you to overflowing with love & power that you know is not your own, you will never again argue that the baptism isn't real or that it was only for those that were present at the Pentecost. If you'd like to discuss this further, I am always here to talk. sherri@sdgartistry.com

Beautiful Easter, Beautiful You~Part II

2012-04-02T07:54:00.000-05:00

Step 1. Pretty box

Beautiful Easter Part II

For some reason that year we drove a pickup truck borrowed from my dad's work for the hour long drive to Grandma's. Heading back at the end of the weekend with three kid's Easter loot made for a tight squeeze. I remember my dad carefully placing our baskets and giant stuffed bunnies in the back, assuring our little worried hearts that our bunnies would be fine.

They were not fine. I can't recall whether it was mine, my sister's or both-I just remember a bunny flying out the back of the truck at about 60 mph. Oh the horror! I'm totally laughing at the memory now but I'm pretty sure I was screaming bloody murder at the time.

The vivid image of my dad in the rain dodging cars on Interstate 80 to save a couple of stuffed bunnies from becoming Easter roadkill is priceless. He could've taken the easy way out and promised to buy us another the next day-but instead, he literally risked life and limb to make sure our Easter ended on a happy note. Way to go dad...that's the day you became my hero.

***********************************************************

Now it's your turn to be an Easter hero by blessing someone's day. In this post you will find everything you need to send your guests home with a to-go box fit for a king, surprise your elderly neighbor who has no family near, or bless your pastor or anyone else in your life that could use a lift. We all know someone that would never forget this little love gesture. The whole thing costs about 12 dollars but will make you feel like a million bucks. Get your kids involved-they will have a blast knowing that their little dyed egg creations are going to bless Mrs. so and so or be the surprise take home after Easter dinner!

See Step 1 above, then scroll down for the rest. And don't forget to read all the way to the bottom for Part II of how Easter makes YOU beautiful...

Step 2. Pink & white radishes tied with ribbon to make a gorgeous mini bouquet


Step 3 & 4. Dyed eggs and tarragon dijon mayo (recipe follows)

Step 5. Coarse salt & pink peppercorns (pictured in a $.99 cent candle holder for serving!)


Step 6. Spring Nest Cookies from Beautiful Easter, Beautiful You Part I


Steps 8 &9. Nestle it all inside your pretty box with a mini french loaf, paper bowl, napkins & plasticware, then right click save and print the keepsake recipe below to tuck inside. Beautiful.

Beautiful You Part II

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

That's it. We don't have to strive to be free of our past with it's guilt & shame. Christ did that for us. For me. For you. Not that it is all instant, sometimes healing comes in waves. But that's where GRACE comes in. Christ came to save us, not to condemn us. (John 3:17) So while we wander earth waiting for heaven, trying to move on and forget-we can rest knowing that He has already forgotten. And by FAITH, we can leave the old and embrace the new. Beautiful us.

H a p p y E a s t e r

xo,

What is beautiful about your Easter? What are you doing to make the holiday beautiful for someone else?

Beautiful Easter, Beautiful You~Part I

2012-03-28T14:42:00.000-05:00

Easter seems to be coming slowly this year. Taking it's sweet time to arrive, which is the opposite of the eager daffodils & earnest tulips that announced Spring over a month earlier than usual in Chicagoland.


Topped with my favorite Hershey's Cadbury Mini Eggs, these cookies make a beautiful centerpiece for your Easter table. Hop on the Hershey's Bunny Trail for more ideas!

Maybe I've just had more time to enjoy it's coming...

Shutting down my warehouse and moving back into my home studio has given me more time to enjoy TIME. S.D.G. Artistry is still
g r o w i n g
wonderfully,
(in a different direction than I ever dreamed!) yet somehow the sands of time seemed to have slowed just enough. I don't want to waste a single grain. I am taking some of that precious time to make Easter beautiful.

And Easter, by it's very nature, makes YOU beautiful...keep reading, all the way to the bottom to see for yourself.

BEAUTIFUL EASTER~Part I

Spring Nest Cookies

I invented these little gems when my girls were wee (they are now 21 & 15!) and have been making & devouring them ever since. The Butter Cookie recipe that I use and am sharing with you is ~~special~~, a family heirloom. It's the one that I will hand down to my daughters and they will hand down to my grandchildren. It is not to be taken lightly. It is the cookie that I've been eating every holiday for the last 40 years in some form or another. (See printable recipe below.) My Grandma, while she was still with us, just made cutouts with colored sugar, yet somehow they were still melt in your mouth magic. The flavor combo has an Italian touch. That must be why they are so. darn. good. Combine with coconut, white chocolate, & Hershey's Cadbury Mini Eggs (my favorite!) and you get a little taste of what I'm certain we'll be eating in heaven. (I hope.)

Right click the image above to save & print my Keepsake Butter Cookie Recipe

BEAUTIFUL YOU~Part I

You've heard it before. John 3:16-17. Hear it again, it's worth it. You're worth it. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
This, my friends, is what Easter is all about. There's death on a cross, then there's life everlasting. Stay tuned for Part II of what happens in between to discover the beautiful, wonderful Y O U.

In Christ,

Have a family recipe that's been handed down generations for your holiday celebrations? I would love to hear about it in the comments below. After that, take this link to hop on the Hershey's Bunny Trail where some of my blogging friends are also sharing their Easter traditions with you! Happy Easter!

If You Hate Monday's Start Here

2012-03-26T10:54:00.001-05:00

Remember the old comics that featured a sad, down trodden Garfield at his desk with "I hate Monday's" scrawled across it? I was so young and impressionable that I thought that every adult hated their job -or was it every cat? I don't remember, but the message is the same. It was as if part of being an adult (or a cat) required hating one's day job. "It must really stink to be all grown up." I pondered.

Well, the jury is still out on whether I am all grown up or not, but I can tell you this, I LOVE my job. (But I'm, not really a fan of cats.) I actually look forward to Monday where I can dive in without interruption.

Learn more, paint more, write more, make more friends, dream bigger and reach farther. That is my Monday-Friday and I just love it.

If you feel more like Garfield on your Monday morning. Maybe it's time to make a change. Start here.

Quitter by Jon Acuff. "Closing the gap between your day job & your dream job." It can happen. You are not stuck indefinitely at that desk job that you hate, Garfield. Jon Acuff shows you the light at the end of that 9-5 tunnel. Just believe and take the first step. You never know where you'll be in a year.

xo,

Loud: 5 Minute Friday with the Gypsy Mama

2012-03-23T12:00:00.001-05:00

From Gypsy Mama,"Around here we write for five minutes flat on Fridays. We finger paint with words. We try to remember what it was like to just write without worrying if it’s just right or not.Want to play Five Minute Friday? It’s easy peasy!

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Meet & encourage someone who linked up before you.
OK, are you ready? Give us your best five minutes on: LOUD.
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Loud are the distractions, critics, doubts. D O U B T S.
Quiet is the mustard seed as it digs it's roots and drinks in the light.
Quiet is the waiting, the parched desire to learn the lessons quickly and take the pruning with stride.
Quiet is the G R O W T H.
Loud are the leaf rustling winds at the very tall of my F A I T H after the dirt, the storm and the Light have had their way.

Even if you are not a blogger, this is a fun journaling exercise. Grab pen & paper and lose yourself in your own heart for just 5 minutes before returning to the real world. You will be glad you did. And don't forget to take a trip to the Gypsy Mama, be inspired by her and others as we link up on this 5 minute Friday. God Bless you!

http://thegypsymama.com/

On Hospitality & Dust Bunnies: 5 Ways to Make Guests Feel Welcome

2012-03-20T10:02:00.003-05:00


I named the new S.D.G. Pineapple Tile 'WELCOME'-in the spirit of Southern Hospitality

"Seafaring captains used to impale fresh pineapples--souvenirs of their lengthy travels to tropical ports--atop the porch railings of their homes when they returned. It was a symbol then that the man of the house was home--albeit briefly--and welcoming visitors." *

I think that is just so cool. A day when it was safe to announce to all passersby whether your hubby was home or not, by a public display of a pineapple. The prickly-beautiful fruit was an open invitation for friends and strangers alike to knock unannounced. Eventually the pineapple made it's way from the porch to the center of the Colonial table with the same welcoming message. Following the meal the delectable fruit was served as an extravagant dessert for the visitors.

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Hospitality~the quality of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly and generous way.

Okay, I will admit it. If a stranger knocked at my door expecting to come in and eat pineapple, I would think he was off his porch rocker. But maybe, just maybe we can emulate the spirit of the WELCOME without the fear factor. Here are some tips. Some may be obvious to you, but it took me until well into my 30's to discover what made people leave my home feeling warm and fuzzy. (All on a single mom's budget I might add!)

1. Strangers aren't necessarily people off the street. Are missionaries visiting your church? Did your child tell you about a new student in their class? Those are the perfect families to welcome to your home. They probably know almost no one and would feel so honored to break bread with you. I guarantee they will never forget you reaching out to make them feel at home in a strange land.

2. Light candles every time anyone steps foot into your home. It doesn't matter whether it's your Mom, Dad, BFF, neighbor, Pastor, or an entire guest list for your dinner party. Day or night-candles draw people in with their warmth & scent. Avoid any scents with flowers or linen, those tend to cause headaches. Light them even in rooms that you think will be unused. (Not necessarily unattended! A fire would make people run screaming which is the opposite of Southern hospitality!) Candles in each room send the message that the guest is welcome in all the areas from which they flicker-even if that's the only light in the room. Even if they would never take you up on the offer to wander, they leave feeling that you didn't hold back by roping off rooms with 'do not enter' darkness.

3. Prominently place a pretty candy dish full of bite-sized treats where your guests can see it, and then help yourself to one. Before dinner. After eating your own a slight nudge of the dish toward your guest mid-conversation tells them right from the get go that "What's mine is yours, help yourself." Without ever having to say it out loud, (which in my opinion always comes off as insincere.) Seriously, people joke about Grandmothers keeping a candy dish-but it's the first place we all gravitate to when we visit. Even as adults we all remember the exact kind of candy that our Grandma kept. Mine was Butterscotch Disks & Coffee Nibs. What did yours keep in her dish?

4. Elevate, elevate, elevate. Even if you are not serving an entire meal, take what you have to offer and elevate it to the level that guests feel that they got something special. They may eat Ritz crackers and chunks of cheese at home. However, take those same Ritz crackers and a brick of cheese- place them on a fancy plate along side some dried or fresh fruit, nuts and a pretty knife and suddenly you just pampered someone who probably needed pampering. (Don't we all?) Spread that uncut cheese with some apricot jam and you may as well talk with a British accent to top it all off because your guest now feels like the Queen of England and you are a veritable Rockstar. Who knew Ritz could be unforgettable?

5. Don't be perfect. Leaving those cursed dust bunnies and a dish or two that you just couldn't get to may feel embarrassing-but I choose to see it as humbling. And people love being around humble, non-fussy people. Make sure your home is clean enough that people aren't feeling the need to bust out their supply of hand sanitizer, yet lived in enough that they feel that even they can achieve the hospitality that you've just shown. Instead of walking out thinking "That was wonderful-but I could never do that-I can't cook and my house is always messy." They will instead be warmly pondering "I should call so and so and invite them over for Ritz tomorrow, who cares if my house isn't perfect!" Mission Hospitality accomplished. Give yourself a pat on the back and for welcome's sake, treat yourself to some fresh pineapple!

xo,

Leave a blog comment about the last time you felt special in someone's home and why and you could win my 6"x6" WELCOME print on Grosgrain ribbon to hang in your doorway. After leaving a comment-claim your entry in the Rafflecopter box below! I will pick two winners via Rafflecopter and Random.org to announce this Friday morning at 9am!

Hebrews 13:2
Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

*From www.mindspring.com.

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Psalm 27:13~ Diamonds Are a Girls BFF, Part 2 & 3, We Have A Winner!

2012-03-18T09:37:00.000-05:00

WE HAVE A WINNER!

Within minutes after posting the story below I received an email that I had won another giveaway. To put that into perspective, I almost NEVER enter giveaways. I didn't even remember entering this one. When I went to The Paper Plume where the giveaway was hosted to jog my memory, this is what I saw...Beautiful 'I Love You' ribbon by The Lonely Heart. It's stories like this one that make me wonder at disbelief. (Even my own at times!) God is in the big blessings-like a stack of diamonds I could NEVER afford or loyal friends that love even the not so nice things about me. The little ones-like ribbon with a message, just to make sure that I absolutely hear what He is saying to me. And, He is in even the unrecognizable ones. The pain & suffering that in no way resembles a blessing to our mortal eyes. He is in it. I for one am so grateful to serve a God that has gone to such great links to prove himself to Doubting Thomas and to ME...as if the cross of Jesus were not enough.

Whether you win the diamonds or not-He loves you and is speaking that to you in some way, big or small TODAY. Will you hear Him?

Once again THANK YOU to all who helped. I will never forget this entire experience and all of the friends that I made in the process. You amaze me :) Scroll down to the Rafflebox for the winner.
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Okay, can you believe that I actually won? I feel like I am dreaming.

This is the exact stack that YOU MAY WIN!

Me winning this stack of Ritani Diamond Rings was nothing short of a miracle.

After a few faithful friends (some of them I've never even met!) stayed up rallying votes with me until 11pm last Friday, I sat stunned with tears in my eyes. I watched my standing go from 2nd place by more than 30 votes, to 1st place with a comfortable lead of 28. The voting had ended and I knew right then that diamonds or no, I was walking away with some new found friends. And in the end win or lose, that would be enough.

I didn't sleep a wink that night. The anticipation was just too much. All weekend I checked my email and facebook a gazillion times waiting for any indication from Ritani that I had a real chance at the win.   Other contenders had interpreted the official rules differently, leaving me wondering, and causing my husband to tell me not to get my hopes up. (But I couldn't help myself, my hopes were WAY up!)

Monday late afternoon after about 71,505 glances at the computer. I got the Facebook tag of all Facebook tags-they had picked two winners, and I was one of them. (Little known evidence of the miracle is that the other winner has 27,000 facebook fans. I have 464. Since the contest was based on the amount of received votes, the only explanation is God's hand.)

First I jumped up and down screaming and texting everyone I could think of. Then I sat back and looked directly at Jesus and wondered why? I was overwhelmed with the realization that there was no reason. It was like He was saying 'just because.' Much like I as a parent give fun things to my kids for no special reason. I give just because I love them.

Life has been tough. (Isn't everybody's?) Winning the diamonds brought to mind Psalm 27:13
I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.   God was blessing me with something beautiful- this side of heaven.

Which in turn renewed my hope. And everybody needs a little of that. God is good, even when life is difficult... Even when I forget that He is good.

Now it's your turn. Ritani is giving a second set of the Stackables that I designed at Blissdom to a Painted Life Follower! The first thing that you need to do to enter is leave a comment telling me why winning the diamonds would be a blessing to you. Then go to the raffle box below and just follow the instructions! Have fun and many blessings to you! And please, take a second to stop by Ritani on Facebook and give them a big fb THANK YOU for this amazing opportunity. Tell them Sherri @ S.D.G. Artistry sent you. :) Their generosity is notable and needs to be appreciated!

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The Soda Bread Contoversy: Breaking Tradition in Honor of Saint Patrick

2012-03-15T14:38:00.003-05:00

Riley & Lynette's Not-So-Irish Soda Bread wrapped in a $.99 Ikea dishtowel, served alongside Tangerine Honey Butter (recipe follows) or store bought jam becomes a beautiful gift for a friend who needs a little lift. Attach a tag featuring your favorite verse of St. Patrick's prayer (below) and you may actually inspire tears of JOY. Happy St. Patrick's Day...

"Patrick's position as a foreigner in Ireland was not an easy one. His refusal to accept gifts from kings placed him outside the normal ties of kinship, fosterage and affinity." *

Outside the normal ties of kinship... People weren't used to religious missionaries and/or leaders who wouldn't accept the gifts of the wealthy or payments for baptisms or ordaining priests.. Saint Patrick was breaking tradition and making enemies in the process. Even to the point of being beaten and imprisoned.

But, it is St. Patrick who baptized thousands including sons of kings. It is St. Patrick who has his very own Holiday and is celebrated throughout the world. I for one am thankful for the saints before me that have boldly stood up and vividly lived out their faith to the fullest Christ-likeness. No matter what.

Now let's go break some traditions-who's with me?

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Purists will tell you that real Irish soda bread doesn't have fruit or seeds, this or that. I've even seen them flare their cute little green tempers at such a monstrosity as a spotted loaf. But Irish or not, traditional or not, this recipe for soda bread is just the way I like it- melt in your mouth delectable. And best of all, it reminds me of my friend Lynette who first introduced me to Soda Bread. (Oh how I miss her!) If you are not a baker, Panera's Irish Soda Bread is a delicious substitue-see the picture and caption above for a shamrock of an idea on how to use either loaf, homemade or not, to bless someone's day!

Riley & Lynette's Not-So-Irish Soda Bread

2 cups AP flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 pinch cream of tartar (to activate the soda!)
1-2 tablespoon caraway seeds (I like lots!)
½-¾ cup currants or chopped dried apricots
2 tablespoons butter , melted
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
½ cup sour milk (to sour: add 1 tablespoon of vinegar, let sit for 5 minutes)
1 teaspoon orange blossom flower extract (optional, but it compliments and brightens the caraway so perfectly!)
powdered sugar for decorating (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

2. Grease and flour a pie plate or other round baking dish.

3. In large bowl, combine all dry ingredients, add currants and caraway.

4. In a separate bowl mix wet ingredients.

5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix with wooden spoon only til incorporated.

6. Flour hands then shape into dome in prepared baking pan.

7. Cut 1/4" deep X into top of loaf and bake for 50 minutes.

8. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes then remove and cool on rack.

9. Cover X using strips of waxed or other paper, then sprinkle entire top of loaf with powdered sugar.

Serve warm with Tangerine Honey Butter

Tangerine Honey Butter

1 stick salted butter

1 tablespoon honey

zest of 1 mineola or other large tangerine

1. Soften butter to room temp

2. Whip all ingredients together until incorporated

Butter will keep up to 1 week at room temp, or one month in refrigerator.

I would love to hear how breaking tradition has lead to an unexpected blessing in your life, or anything else you'd like to share about the recipe, the Irish or life in general! Feel free to leave a comment below!

xo,

The Prayer of St. Patrick

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a mulitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation

*Taken from ^ De Paor, p. 107; Charles-Edwards, p. 221–222.

How to Make My Felted Brillo Soaps-A Short & Inspired Video Attempt to Share Just One Small Joy

2012-03-12T12:45:00.000-05:00

I hate cameras. I've said it a thousand times. I look awful in photos and I am the worlds worst photographer. Regardless which side of the camera I am on, I hate them and they hate me. I've learned to accept this. I am okay with it.

Enter Blissdom. Everywhere I turned a sponsor was asking if I'd like to shoot a video for them. ( Okay, they were asking everyone not just me! Lol) The conference itself was one big step outside of my comfy box. I went not knowing a soul. That meant that no one knew that I hated cameras. And the stranger's cameras could then have no preconceived notions of what I would be like on film. I could be whoever I wanted to be. So I decided to go for it.

A funny thing happens when one pretends that they're confident because nobody knows better. They become confident. I playacted like 'TV Star Sherri' for a brief moment there, and to my surprise I had a blast. I came home inspired to not only learn to take better photos from both sides of the camera, but to get comfortable on film. Now I have a whole new way to share with you the fun and inspiration behind S.D.G. Artistry.

Here's my first vlogging attempt. Future videos may include cooking demos, decorating, gifting and who knows what else! If you'd like to see more, I'd love to hear that! If you think I need to stick to writer's blogging, I want to hear that too. Be honest, I can take it. Please leave a comment with a yay or nay-this is your chance to help decide the direction of The Painted Life! This is your blog and I want you to be happy here. :) Thanks for being a part of this.

xo,

You will need...
Soap of your choosing (.3 oz per ball)
Hot water, at sink or in a dish of your choosing
Bath Towel
Laundry Bag (Any Nylon bag or even a Dryell bag works well, just don't put close in it after soaping!)
Felting Wool (Less than half an ounce per ball, see the Paradise Fibers link above.)
A Standard Clothes Dryer